1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a measuring arrangement and a measurement method to determine the play of a cartridge pivot unit of an inkjet printing system. The method serves to detect and compensate for age-dependent variations of the play and to assess whether the required precision in the pivoting of the cartridge pivot unit into the printing position can still be maintained. The invention is used in printing devices with relative movement between an inkjet print head and the print item, in particular in franking and/or addressing machines and in other mail processing apparatuses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pivot movements of a print head are known from German Utility Model DE 200 12 946 U1.
An acceptance unit is known from DE 10062012 A1 for at least one inkjet print head that is arranged so that it can move in rotation around a rotation axis that lies parallel to the transport direction of mail pieces and that, driven by a motor and controlled by a microprocessor, can be selectively pivoted at least into one printing position and one service position. A service position at a sealing station is occupied after longer printing pauses for, among other things, clearing the print head.
A front view of the franking machine of the Centormail® type and its electronics were at least partially shown in the German Utility Model DE 20 2006 008952 U1 (“Arrangement to change customer data of a franking device”).
A pivot mechanism and a control device for pivoting into a cleaning and sealing position is shown for the same franking machine in DE 10 2005 052 150 A1 (“Device to clean an inkjet print head”).
A method and device for clearing an inkjet print head of an inkjet printing system are known from EP 1792955 A1, wherein at least one ink cartridge equipped with a print head is arranged in an acceptance unit that is also designated as a cartridge pivot unit. This is driven in steps by an actuator and can be selectively pivoted (controlled by a microprocessor) at least into a printing position and into a clearing position near the printing position. While it is possible for the cartridge pivot unit to be moved during the clearing, for the purpose of printing the printing position should be controlled as exactly as possible. The cartridge pivot unit has a rotation axle with a rotation angle transmitter with which the position achieved upon a rotation of the axle can be determined. The cartridge pivot unit can have too much play even given a correctly adjusted rotation angle transmitter, which can lead to a malfunction of the machine.